3 Novelettes FP 47/173 by Poulenc, Francis

Trois novelettes (Three novelettes) are three short pieces for piano composed by Francis Poulenc.

The first two novelettes, in C major and B-flat minor, FP 47, written in 1927 and 1928 respectively,and the third, in E minor, FP 173, was written in 1959. These novelettes demonstrate multi-layered piano writing.

• Novelette in C major (1927) is dedicated to Virginie Liénard, a family friend, also the dedicatee of Poulenc’s piano suite Soirées de Nazelles (1930–36). The piece features a neo-classical song-like melody interrupted by a central contrasting section.
• Novelette in B-flat minor (1928) is similar in ways to a scherzo. It is dedicated to Poulenc’s friend and critic Louis Laloy.
• Novelette in E minor (1959) is based on Manuel de Falla’s 7/8 theme from El amor brujo (1916), simplified by Poulenc into 3/8 time, and without a contrasting section. It employs fluid arpeggio figures. This piece is dedicated to Poulenc’s close friend R. Douglas Gibson.

Please see samples to the left then grab an immediate PDF download above.